Don't own Chuck

The shop assistant that Natasha had made a date with waited outside of her place of employment. She looked down at her watch then looked down the street wondering if she'd been stood up. It was true that no one she knew was really punctual and telling someone I'll see you in a little while could mean a few minutes or next year but Natasha wasn't from there. Then suddenly Natasha materialized in front of her as if from nowhere.

"Wow! Here you are… finally. I thought for a moment that I was going to have to get this party started without you. By the way my name is Monique," she said as she kissed Natasha on both cheeks.

"Well, I'm here now so let's go. I want to see what this town has to offer," said Natasha. "Who were you calling?" she noticed Monique had her phone in one hand then put it away quickly.

"I was just calling some friends who are going to join us when we get where we're going. Come on let's go," she said as she took Natasha's hand. "This way it's a short cut," said the girl as they headed towards the sound of music. Monique took a right then they started down a long alleyway.

"Where are we going?" asked Natasha as she let Monique lead her along. She was a little wary of following a stranger but as they walked the music got louder; however, the alleyway also grew progressively darker.

"Just a little bit further and we'll be there. You wanted the time of your life and I'm about to give it to you. You just need to have a little more patience."

"I said I was looking for a specific bar," said Natasha. But as she was talking to Monique she suddenly felt the hair on her neck stand up and a tingling sensation came over her… what some would call her spidey senses. She knew someone was following them even before she heard them.

"This seems like a long alleyway," said Natasha as she stopped pretending to be catching her breath. But what she was doing was listening to whoever it was who was following them. Her suspicion seemed to be confirmed because whoever it was behind them stopped the very moment she did. "Bingo!"

"No, they don't play bingo… that's for old people anyway. Come on, keep up and I told you before this is a short cut. Just a little more patience and we'll be there."

"That's something I've never had a lot of," said Natasha as Monique pulled her along. "What street does this come out in?"

"I'm not sure about names but I use this all the time so don't worry we'll be there soon enough and then you'll see."

"See what?" mumbled Natasha under her breath as they continued on. Natasha kept track of their follower by listen to his or her steps while looking ahead. She realized this to be what it was… a trap.

"Wait one," said Natasha as she stopped. "I need to grab a tissue from my purse," she said as she pretended to pull one out and wipe her nose. "Sorry, better now but the recycled air on planes, it always does a number on me."

"We're almost there," said Monique. But if they were there wasn't any music because what they had heard being played before was now behind them.

"Look the place I'm looking for is called the dead parrot… El Cotoro Muerto. You seem like a nice young girl and I'd hate for you to get hurt."

"Why do you say that? And I thought you didn't know the name of the place you were looking for?" said Monique. From her reaction Natasha could tell she'd put Monique off her game.

"Believe it or not, it just came to me. So, if you just point me in the right direction…" Natasha was talking but Monique wasn't going to let her go.

"That's not a nice place for people like you and me. I know a lot better places but if you insist it's just up ahead. Are you trying to get rid of me? I thought you wanted me to show you a good time or where you just teasing?" Monique said as she tried to get close to Natasha but she moved back.

"I don't want to get into this with you, not now and not here. I'm old enough to be your mother and yet you were ready to have a good time with me. Not everyone is stupid," said Natasha.

"What are you talking about? I thought you'd be fun… you were interesting… foreign… even exotic," said Monique. But Natasha saw through what was going on. Monique was trying to distract her and whatever was going to happen it was going to go down now. The person that was following them had picked up their pace.

"This is your last chance to come clean. How many of them are there? How many? You answer me these questions and maybe you'll be able to walk away."

"I… I don't know what you mean. What do you think is going on?"

"Who do you work for?" asked Natasha as she held her Makarov 9 down by her side and in the shadows. The foot steps that where behind her was getting closer.

"I work for the lady you met behind the counter in my store. You know you're kind of freaking me out here. I think I should leave."

"Wrong answer," said Natasha as she brought her weapon out into plain view. "Do you want to try again?"

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The tension in the Defender was so thick it could be cut with a knife and for once Morgan was silent. But he realized what was about to go down, and being the bullet magnet, he'd probably be the one to bear the brunt of what was to come. With nothing to lose he jumped in the middle and tried to head things off.

"Well, you know you might just think you recognize Sarah," said Morgan. "There are a lot of people who look like her… I mean tall, blonde and well…" Sarah gave him a look. "I mean you probably just saw someone who looked like her."

"No, I know I know you. Answer me this, didn't you go to Harvard? I know you did because I did too and I remember seeing you on campus."

"Wow, that was some time ago but yes, I went to Harvard but I don't remember seeing you. I'm sorry but I don't."

"Well, there was no reason for you too. I think we probably moved in different circles but it's amazing to see you here. Who could've guessed that I'd run into you all the way out here?"

"I know what you mean who could've known," said Sarah as she took her hand out of her bag. "So, you look successful, after Harvard you must've done well."

"I can't complain. I'm running a small family import-export business. My mother is the CEO but I'm the one who actually runs things."

"I worked with my father for a little while in the real estate game but I found working for family isn't what it's all cracked up to be. So, I decided after a while to strike out on my own."

"I know what you mean. You can pick your friends but you can't pick your relatives but my situation is different. My mother relies on me so I'm kind of stuck for duration. I should tell you that my father passed away when I was born so it's only been the two of us."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Sarah. Morgan caught the look on Luiz's face and he wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Yeah and my father ran off with another woman when I was in young to go live in Encino with her," said Morgan. "I'll admit there were times when I could've shoot him."

"But you have to realize as long as he's alive he can always come home. In my case that can never happen. Besides if your father left you and you've never seen or talked to him you only have your mother's side of the story. I'm not saying anything but it takes two to tango."

"Thanks for the advice and that's something to think about," said Morgan. "It sounds like you've already figured somethings out."

"I was just talking hypothetically," said Luiz as he turned around and just sat there for a few minutes before turning back around again. "You know I need to go talk to some people of ours but if you can give me a couple of minutes, I'd like to take you out to eat dinner."

"Gee thanks," said Morgan. "That's awfully kind of you Luiz. Don't you think so Sarah? Just please I'd like my food not to crawl or slither across the ground or jump from tree to tree."

"Oh, I'm sorry, of course you're invited too," said Luiz. "The way you two talk, it doesn't seem like you just met each other."

"That's because I'm Canadian and everyone knows to be Canadian is to be well liked," said Morgan as he looked over at Sarah who rolled her eyes. "What?"

"We really need to find that hostel… or at least I do," she said as she looked back at Morgan. "And I need to contact my husband. He's back at home watching our kids. This is kind of my break from the NGO we work with."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize you were married. I guess it kind of makes sense… I mean some one like you were bound to get snatched up. But I've got one better for you. You can have dinner with me and my mother at the plantation. We've got plenty of room so you can spend the night with us then I'll run you back into town in the morning."

"We wouldn't want to put you out and besides shouldn't you talk this over with your mother first. I mean it's her house too…"

"Actually, it belongs to a friend of my mother's, Miguel, but I'm sure it will be okay. And maybe you can help me out, my mother is a bit vexed with me right now over something that really wasn't my fault. I could really use a buffer and she'll be on her best behaviour with guests around."

"Well, I don't know. We really shouldn't get in the middle of any family drama. But sleeping in the plantation house would be much better than sleeping in a hostel."

"Good then it's agreed, you'll spend the night with me… I mean in the house… not well you know what I mean. Just let me see these people then we can head back to the house."

Morgan gave Sarah a look but she shook her head not to say anything. She didn't like it either but If they played their cards right they'd get an opportunity to get the lay of the land before they raided the compound. She was convinced this was the right play but she wasn't sure if Chuck would see it that way.

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Meanwhile Casey and Roan found a place in the fence where they could go under. It looked as if something had rooted up under the fence and had dug out a hole. Casey grabbed a piece of a branch he'd found and began digging enlarging the hole big. Then once he was sure it was big enough he gave one last look around then under he went.

"Come on Roan! You need to hurry up we can't stay out here in the open all day. The guards will be back soon."

"I'm coming. Remind me not to get captured with you again. Has anyone every told you that you nag? If they haven't I am."

"Will you stop your whining and come along. There are some trees over there and some shrubs we can hide until the guards pass by."

Roan and Casey dashed across the lawn to the shrubs and they got there just in the nick of time. A golf cart came around a corner with two guards in it. They stopped at the spot where Casey had enlarged the hole.

"Now what," said Roan in a low voice. "They've spotted your handy work and they're going to be looking for us. Inside here we're trapped."

"Shush," said Casey. "Pipe down or they'll hear you. Just keep quiet for now and let me listen," said John. He had his hand on his weapon but the way the guards were acting didn't seem as if they were on to them.

"Crap, look at that," said the one man as he stopped the golf cart and got out. "It's those darn wild pigs again. They've rooted under the fence again and it looks fresh."

"Come on we need to radio this in then get over to the orchard that's where they head for every time they bust in. I don't know what it is they like over there."

"I wonder if they've got some sort of sixth sense that tells them when the fruit is ripe," said the one guard as he got back in the cart.

"I don't know I know on Animal Planet they said they had a keen sense of smell. Maybe that has something to do with it?"

"I know I've got a keen sense of taste especially for ham and eggs. Let's go get some pork chops on the hoof… You watch Animal Planet do pigs have hooves? I mean I know they have feet."

"Let's table this debate and get over to the orchard before we get into trouble. You know the mess they made the last time they broke in and how mad the Boss got."

Casey watched as the guards drove away and waited until they were out of sight. They were now safe to proceed to their next hiding place which was a group of old buildings behind the main house.

"Come on the coast is clear. Let's make a break for it," said John but as they started to move something came running through the bushes they were hiding in. Casey heard the grunting and squealing then remembered the guards' conversation.

"Roan, don't move a muscle. Stay as still as you can and for once keep that hole in your face shut," said Casey. "Those are razorbacks… feral pigs and much like their cousins they are very protective of their young but a lot meaner. I've even seen one take on a jaguar and come out on top."

"But…" Roan started to say but out of the brush jumped a big male hog. He looked right at Roan with piercing brown eyes then moved slowly near him. The saliva dripped out of his mouth drooling on Roan's leg. The boar bared his teeth and Roan thought sure he was a goner but the pig just snorting then turned running off with the rest of the family as they made it for the hole under the fence.

"I bet someone needs to change his underwear," said Casey as Roan tried to clean off the drool from his pants leg.

"Remember what I said about not wanting to be taken prisoner with you again? Well you can underline that and type it in bold. This is disgusting."

"Come on Marlin Perkins we need to make it to this shacks before our guards come back hunting for their breakfast."

"When I get out of here I'm going to get a double serving of bacon and a couple of pork chops. That will show them," said Roan as they ran over to the shacks and none too soon.

"Look our friends are coming back and they're heading this way. Do you see who they have with them? It's your girlfriend. Do you still want to see if you can sweet talk her?"

"Given the circumstances I don't think that's possible but if I had more time and were alone with her then maybe I could. It's certainly better that your usual shoot 'em up or blow 'em up method."

"In the end they all talk, just my way is faster and more efficient than yours. I don't think you can argue with that."

"Faster is relative and I have doubts about it being more efficient. In the end they will say anything to make the pain stop whether it is true or not. That's why my way is the preferred way. My dear Colonel, it's just a case of bronze versus brains and as everyone knows brains always wins it hands down."

"Why you…" Casey started to say but Donna Rosenda and the men with her were too close so they ducked into the one shack. Casey pointed up to the rafters then processed to climb up. The two shacks shared a common roof and a loft that stretched from one to the other.

"What are we doing here," whispered Roan. "You aren't thinking about taking her out? There's no way we can get away from here without being caught. And afterwards I don't think they'll be very friendly."

"Pipe down and no I'm not going to take her out but I want to listen to what they're going to talk about. This is what you do when you live inside walls."

"I don't have to tell you that this edges on… well I don't think I've got to label this for you. You know Doctor Dreyfus always has room on his couch. Did you get along with your mother? Did you have a mother?"

"I'm about thirty seconds from trying to set a new all time best so do yourself a favour and pipe down. Look down there that's the loud mouth from the Defender… the one who told us about this place."

"John if that man talks he'll them he told us about this place then they'll start looking here for us and they'll find us."

"Just keep it together. I don't think he's said a word. In fact, it looks like he's had one bad day. I bet he didn't think his day would end like this when he started out this morning?"

"Maybe we should retreat then come back at this later. If we go now we might be able to get back under the fence before we're seen."

"Shush, not yet. Here comes your woman and her toy boys. I wonder where Luiz is. I bet momma isn't very happy with her little boy."

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Chuck and Alex walked into the El Cotoro Muerto and as they walked in everyone got silent. The men in the bar looked at Alex like dogs outside a butcher's shop window complete with drool and if they had tails they'd be wagging. Chuck led her over to the same table Anatoly and Stefan had been sitting at just a few minutes prior.

"Here we can sit here. From here we can keep an eye on the entrance and the bar as well as the exit," said Chuck as he looked around at the men staring at them.

"What's gotten into everyone here? Why are they looking at us?" said Alex. "Their staring is kind of giving me the creeps."

"Somehow I don't think they get very man women in here. Are you going to be okay here for a few minutes while I go get us a couple of beers so we fit in?"

"Sure," said Alex as she looked around at the men all staring at her. "Geez, haven't you guys every seen a woman before. Surely your mother was a woman but that is a big assumption on my part."

Alex tried to maintain her cool as Chuck went up to the bar. He could feel himself being sized up as he walked up to order.

"I'll have two beers. It doesn't matter what brand as long as they're cold. Since you guys are staring maybe you can tell me if you've seen this person," said Chuck as he laid an old photo on the counter. The bartender looked over at it while he was pouring Chuck his beers from behind the counter.

"No, can't say as I do but that's an old photo and the guy you're looking for could be dead by now. Life is hard around here and especially back when that photo was taken."

"Well, there's a couple of Grants for anyone with information," said Chuck as he dropped money on the counter then went back to the table with his beers. "Here you go."

"Thanks. Well did you find out anything?" she said as she took a sip then made a face. "Don't drink that it's terrible. It tastes like liquid Marmite."

"I asked for cold. I guess I should've asked for good too," said Chuck as he pushed away his. "Thanks for the heads up. I put out feelers now we need to wait."

"Don't look now but I think you've gotten a bite," said Alex as a big man walked over from the bar. "How much," he said in broken English.

"How much? How much for what? I said I'd pay a c-note for information about the person in the photo. Do you have information?"

"No, how much do you want for your woman?" said the man as he smiled showing that he was missing most of his teeth. He reached down and grabbed Chuck's beer then chugged it down belching when he finished as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"What elegance. Miss Manners would be proud of you."

"I want to buy her. How much do you want," said the man as he leaned over the table getting in Chuck's face.

"Phew, your breath is against the Geneva convention."